APEC leaders to warn against protectionism(Photo: apec.org)
Hanoi (VNA) – A draft communiquéon November 12 showed that leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)member economies, plan to warn against the dangers posed by protectionism, andresolve to work toward realising what would be the world's largest free-tradearea at a meeting in Papua New Guinea later this week, according to Kyodo News.
However, it seems to be difficult to reach a consensus on that issue as thegroup's two largest economies, the United States and China, are locked in atrade war over various forms of protectionism.
"We recognise the importance of working towards achieving free and openmarkets in the Asia-Pacific region," says the draft.
"We support the effective functioning of the rules-based, transparent,non-discriminatory, open, and inclusive Multilateral Trading System (MTS), asembodied in the World Trade Organisation," it says.
The draft both notes a recent pickup in global economic growth, and acknowledges"the role of trade liberalisation and facilitation in achievingsustainable global growth."
But it warns theoutlook is "heavily tainted with barriers emerging in new areas of tradegrowth and the re-emergence of protectionism."
To counter the threat, the leaders will "acknowledge the importance ofAPEC's regional economic integration agenda, the process towards the eventualrealisation of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific."
The communiqué is expected to be issued by the leaders attending the 26th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, which will start in Port Moresby on November17.
The meeting will bring together most of the leaders of its 21 member economies,including all 10 Southeast Asian nations, as well as Australia, Canada, Japan,the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Mexico, Chile and Peru.-VNA
VNA
